It has been almost four years sinceMortal Kombat 11dropped, and something new for the series is on the horizon. During an earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO announced thatMortal Kombat 12was planned for a 2023 release. As surprising as this announcement was, many fans are almost as surprised by the game’s identity being purely centered aroundMortal Kombat. Ever since the 2008 release ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe,Mortal Kombatand a DC fighting game have been alternating releases roughly every two years, andMK12will break that pattern.
Rumors over the past couple of years have pointed to NetherRealm Studios’ next project beinganything fromMortal Kombat 12andInjustice 3to a Marvel vs. DC fighting game.Mortal Kombat 12’s prolonged silence and rebooted setting should breathe some new life into the franchise, but it may be time for NetherRealm to look at doing another crossover title. Setting Marvel aside,Mortal Kombatand DC Comics have had a special synergy for years, andMortal Kombat 11’s own take on the crossover supports this idea.
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Mortal Kombat and DC Have Built Up a Strong Bond
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universewas the last title developed internally at Midway Games before its bankruptcy, and it has not been seen favorably by the modern NetherRealm community. At the time it was noted for being a sloppy andunbalanced fighter compared to pastMKentries, lacking in side content, constrained by its “T for Teen” rating, and hosting one of the most underwhelming story modes in theMortal Kombatfranchise. Going from that to NetherRealm’s acclaimedMortal Kombat (2011), made by many of the same hands who once worked under Midway, felt like a massive leap in quality.
Despite that, the two brands remained friendly and continued collaborating. One ofInjustice: Gods Among Us’ final DLC characters wasMortak Kombat’s Scorpion, and the existence ofInjusticeindicates that NetherRealm and WB Games were willing to give things another shot. Sub-Zero and Raiden appeared inInjustice 2’s DLC, andMortal Kombatfinally reciprocated byadding The Joker as a downloadable fighter inMK11. The logic behind this selection dates all the way back toMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, where Joker’s Gunshot Fatality was considered such a stand-out that Shang Tsung borrowed it inMortal Kombat (2011). At this point, the next step for theMortal Kombatand DC properties is obvious.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Could Fulfill Its Potential Now
A newMortal Kombat vs. DC Universegame should be made at some point in the near future. Joker’s inclusion inMK11speaks to how much better a modern crossover title could be than what emerged from the dying Midway. The chance for an M-rated title is even possible now, which would help theMKside of the roster feel like themselves as theDC superheroes hit as hard as they please. Add on a setup involving Fire God Liu Kang arranging the crossover usingInjustice’s pre-existing multiversal narrative as a framework, and the potential for a crossover speaks for itself.
Returning to DC’s world will probably be good after potentially six years straight ofMortal Kombat. It’s one of the world’s most popular fighting game franchises for a reason, but players can still get tired from too much of a good thing. This major crossover could also serve as a platform for other guest appearances, such asMortal Kombat’s typical vintage movie cameos or ahigh-profile cameo by a Marvel character.Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universemay have once been the last gasp of a failing company, but it could now serve as the springboard for one of the most exciting mainstream crossover fighting games yet.
Mortal Kombat 11is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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